The Adair County African American Heritage Oral History Project features interviewees discussing everything from family history, education, religion, and childhood to segregation, integration, and civil rights activities. In this excerpt, from a 2013 interview, Sharon Payne discusses her family reunion.

Edward T. “Ned” Breathitt served as Kentucky’s governor from 1963 – 1967. Among his contributions to civil rights in Kentucky were his efforts in the passage of the 1966 Kentucky Civil Rights Act, which banned discrimination in public accommodations and employment. Breathitt also worked alongside UK president John Oswald in recruiting Nathaniel Northington.

In this audio clip, Gov. Breathitt talks about civil rights legislation in Kentucky and also his role in working with the University of Kentucky to recruit Nathaniel Northington.

(The interview is part of the Civil Rights Movement in Kentucky Oral History Project, Kentucky Oral History Commission, Kentucky Historical Society: http://passtheword.ky.gov/collection/civil-rights-movement-kentucky-oral-history-project)

Ann Reynolds and William “Bill” Meers discuss growing up in LaGrange, KY when it was a segregated community. They reflect on going to separate segregated schools (1 for white students and 1 for black students) and talk about the community in general during desegregation. Reynolds discusses attending the Lincoln Institute as a young woman and later Kentucky State University. Meers discusses attending Transylvania University and attending the 1964 civil rights march on Frankfort as a student there. He remembers finding a small group from LaGrange at the 1964 rally, of which a member was Reynolds’ mother.

David Wilson discusses being the only African American student at Georgetown College in 1964 and his choice to join the rally for civil rights in Frankfort. He talks about discouragement from faculty in attending the 1964 rally in Frankfort and his choice to come anyway.

Robert Estill, the first chair of the Human Rights Commission, talks about lobbying efforts towards the 1964 public accommodations bill and the 1964 march on Frankfort that led up to the bill being introduced to the legislature.

Joe Graves describes the founding of Kentuckians for Public accommodations Legislation in 1963. Including details about political support and logistics. This was leading up to the 1964 civil rights march on Frankfort in support of the passage of the public accommodations legislation.
Interview a part of the Kentucky Civil Rights Oral History Project from the Kentucky Historical Society collections.

Joe Graves discusses his first experience demonstrating publicly at the 1964 civil rights march on Frankfort. He recalls his surroundings, the feeling of being watched, and watching other people around him.